The Secrets of Oneness and Fellowship

I. Having the Vision of God's Building
A. The focus of God's building in the Bible
1. The building of the Bride - Gen. 2:21-24; Eph.5:30-32
2. The building of the ark - Heb. 11:7
3. The building of the city - Heb. 11:8-10
4. The building of the tabernacle - Exo. 25:1-9; Heb. 3:2b-5
5. The building of the temple - 1 Chron. 28:11-12
6. The building of the recovered temple - Ezra 1:1-11
7. The building of the church - Matt. 16:18; 1 Pet. 2:5; Eph. 2:21
8. The building of the local churches - 1 Cor. 3:9; Eph. 2:22
9. The building of the Holy City - Rev. 21-22
B. God's building and the kingdom existing in our relationships - Rom. 15:1-2; 14:17-19
II. Being Supplied for God's Building
A. Supplied by the example and life of Christ - Rom. 15:3
1. Christ's example in His zeal for God's House - Rom. 15:3; Psa. 69:9
B. Supplied by the Scriptures that bring us into God Himself - Rom. 15:4-5
1. Supplied with patience, comfort and hope - Rom. 15:4-5, 13
C. Supplied to deal with the self for God's Building - Rom. 15:1-2
1. The cross and the building of the church - Matt. 16:18-26
2. The cross and how we know one another - 2 Cor. 5:14-17
3. The cross and being built up with weak brothers
a) Brothers weak in the faith with a weak conscience - Rom. 14:1ff
(1) Brothers who are unable (Gk: adunatos) - Rom. 15:1
(2) Brothers with defective knowledge - 1 Cor. 8:1-7
(3) Brothers with faults, prejudices, and errors - 1 Cor. 8:8-13
D. Supplied to have the same mind according to Christ with one accord and one mouth
- Rom. 15:5-6
E. Supplied to receive, handle and treat one another in the same way (Gk. kathos - "as") Christ received us - Rom. 15:7 (cf. Rom. 3:23-24)
1. The different ways we come to the same Christ - Rom. 15:8-9; 1 Cor. 9:20-23
a) Christ meets the Jews where they are - Fulfilling prophecy
b) Christ meets the Gentiles where they are - "Mercy"
F. Supplied and filled up with joy, peace and hope between us by staying in the realm of singing, praising and praying together - Rom. 15:9-13
1. Prophecies concerning oneness and fellowship - 2 Sam. 22:50; Psa. 18:49;
Deut. 32:43; Psa. 117:1; Isa. 11:10